New provincial history to be written by U of S professor

Posted November 07, 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 5, 2001 2001-11-06-AR

New provincial history to be written by U of S professor

Professor Bill Waiser, Department of History, has received provincial and
university funding to produce a new provincial history book to coincide with
the Provincial Centennial in 2005.

Designed to help celebrate the 100th birthday of the province, the book will
offer a new look at traditional topics as well as seek to include much of
the new social and cultural history of past generations. Subjects will
include everything from the legacy of the depression to the impact of mass
consumer culture on rural society.

"This book will be written for a popular audience and will be richly
illustrated with maps, photographs, and other visual material." said Waiser.
"It will cover all regions of the province and examine the stories of men,
women, and children. The Aboriginal experience will be an integral part of
the story."

"Professor Waiser's project will be the University's gift to the people of
the province," said Peter MacKinnon, University of Saskatchewan president.
"It will include all peoples of Saskatchewan and will showcase our rich and
varied history."

The project will also be a way to train future scholars as graduate students
participate in the research and writing of the manuscript. Work on the
project will begin in July of 2002.

"Dr. Waiser's history book will help us acknowledge and appreciate our past,
both very important components in celebrating our identity and heritage
during Saskatchewan's Centennial year in 2005," said Provincial Secretary
Judy Junor.

The book has received funding from the Provincial Anniversaries Secretariat
($100,000) and the University, including the College of Arts and Science,
the College of Graduate Studies and Research, and the President's Office
($100,000).

Dr. Bill Waiser is a specialist in western and northern Canadian history. He
joined the U of S in 1984. He is the author or editor of six books including
Park Prisoners: The Untold Story of Western Canada's National Parks and
Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion with Blair
Stonechild, which was short listed for the 1997 Governor General's literary
award for non-fiction. Since 1999, Waiser has been the host of CBC
Saskatchewan TV's "Looking Back", a weekly history series. He is currently
writing a history of the 1935 Regina Riot

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For more information please contact:
Dr. Bill Waiser
Department of History
(306) 966-5801